Canton bid for NFL Draft looks better for 2020

Thursday

ESPN on Thursday, citing NFL sources, reported Nashville is the frontrunner for the 2019 draft.

The Cleveland-Canton bid to host an NFL Draft seems more likely for 2020 than 2019.

ESPN on Thursday, citing NFL sources, reported Nashville is the front-runner for the 2019 draft. A decision is expected during the NFL owners meeting later this month.

Cleveland-Canton is among five finalists to host the 2019 or 2020 drafts and is competing with Nashville, Las Vegas, Kansas City and Denver.

The Northeast Ohio application hasn't been made public, but it's expected Canton would host a dinner and the third day of the draft, possibly with a fan festival. The first two days of the draft would be in Cleveland at Public Auditorium, with Public Square and the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland available for a fan festival. Activities in Canton would use Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, the youth fields and the museum.

Nashville has emerged as the leading contender to host the 2019 NFL Draft, per league sources. A decision is expected to be announced during the league’s spring meeting May 22-23 in Atlanta.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)May 10, 2018

Even in the unlikely event that Nashville were to lose out on the 2019 NFL Draft, it would be in prime positon to then host the 2020 Draft. But 2019 in Nashville is looking increasingly likely, per league sources.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)May 10, 2018

Representatives of the NFL visited Cleveland and Canton at the end of March and then returned to Cleveland during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.

After the first visit, Pro Football Hall of Fame President David Baker said he wanted to see the league's 100th season begin with the 2019 draft in Canton, since there already are plans to host a centennial celebration for the league here in 2020.

Nashville's bid to host the 2019 or 2020 drafts included possibly using its convention center, a riverfront amphitheater, a symphony center, an auditorium or the Grand Ole Opry House, according to the Tennessean.

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